Billy Donovan hired as next Bulls coach - Full coaching staff p43

[MrFortune3]

That is a nice offseason. You can’t land Free Agents and trades just by wishing it, but you can restructure your organization like this and it is a really good looking staff. Have yet to see how they perform but you can’t say they didn’t try to make the right moves.

What? No Randy Brown? Where's Pete Myers?

Jokes aside, this FO seems as incestuous as our last one, see above in red.

Add in BD3 becoming video coordinator, and of the guys we hired, only 2 were outside of these guys close networks. What is really somewhat concerning to me is the amount of Philly guys we added, its like pillaging the Wizards for talent. Who has Philly developed talent wise? But we're loading up on people from one of the most underachieving orgs in the NBA. Granted, that doesn't necessarily say anything about any of these guys, but it's not like someone outside of the org is going to go "wow, they have a hell of a staff there".

The only thing that seems meaningfully different, except people fawning over them simply because they are new, is that we have more people in the player development area than we did in the past. Its not worse than the past, but there's nothing special about this group on the surface from a resume/past experience perspective. Hopefully the gel as a group, form good relationships with the players, and do a great job.

Incestuous in it's nature yes, but the issue with the previous FO was that they wanted yes men, hangers on and low talent hacks.

From what we've seen in the previous stops of this FO and coaching staff, they value talent and ability even with the potential neopotism.

[Risk Addict]

I feel it would be hard to evaluate player development coach’s and assistant coaches without previously working with them. I also think it would be hard to recruit someone for a lateral move to take their family to a new city to work for someone they don’t know...

It doesn’t really bother me to see connections with the FO and BD. I expected this. What we need to find out is did these guys bring their best friends or their best coaches...

[dougthonus]

Incestuous in it's nature yes, but the issue with the previous FO was that they wanted yes men, hangers on and low talent hacks.

From what we've seen in the previous stops of this FO and coaching staff, they value talent and ability even with the potential neopotism.

To be quite honest, this seems like you looking at two situations that are the same and just coming up with different narratives in your head to explain them.

I don't mind people pulling from those they know. That's what everyone does, you build relationships over time and try to advance those you worked with that you think were of high quality.

[Susan]

Incestuous in it's nature yes, but the issue with the previous FO was that they wanted yes men, hangers on and low talent hacks.

From what we've seen in the previous stops of this FO and coaching staff, they value talent and ability even with the potential neopotism.

To be quite honest, this seems like you looking at two situations that are the same and just coming up with different narratives in your head to explain them.

I don't mind people pulling from those they know. That's what everyone does, you build relationships over time and try to advance those you worked with that you think were of high quality.

Billy, AK and Eversley had pretty much no relationship with one another.

Looks like it's AK at the top with a mixture of current Bulls/Windy City guys/Billy guys and Eversley people. Seems like they weren't allowed to poach from Denver but I truly don't understand what your expectation was. This is how all pro sports front offices/staffs are put together. If you can't see how this is different than Pete Myers and Randy Brown being longtime Bulls loyalists who never left you're missing something.

[dougthonus]

Billy, AK and Eversley had pretty much no relationship with one another.

Looks like it's AK at the top with a mixture of current Bulls/Windy City guys/Billy guys and Eversley people. Seems like they weren't allowed to poach from Denver but I truly don't understand what your expectation was. This is how all pro sports front offices/staffs are put together. If you can't see how this is different than Pete Myers and Randy Brown being longtime Bulls loyalists who never left you're missing something.

If you think Billy Donovan literally hiring his son isn't a deeper level of nepotism than the Bulls giving Randy Brown or Pete Meyers a job I'm not sure what to tell you.

I don't have any expectations for assistant coach hires, and I'm not upset about the guys we got or anything. I'm not lionizing them or acting like we did something better than we did. As an example, Jim Boylen, whom was lead assistant for the Spurs, was probably a more respected assistant than anyone we hired in this group.

Again, its fine, its just nothing to get excited about. Fleming might be the most well respected guy on the assistant staff though (he was the only one to my knowledge to even interview for a HC job), and he was a holdover.

[Dez]

I'm optimistic and everything, like Donovan and like Mo Cheeks, but I'm not drinking this wild cool aid that so many are obviously drinking solely because of the "new" factor. I don't believe that anyone really knows anything about these coaches and development staff, nor how AK will do at player aquisition.

Same, it's a great thing there has been so much change but people need to temper their expectations.

It's all still unproven at this point in time.

[Ugly Duckling]

It must've been been really rough growing up with the last name Longshaft.

Hard to say, if you own that one, it could easily be a positive.

Its a lot to live up to.

Yeah it's something you'd have to grow into

[Susan]

Billy, AK and Eversley had pretty much no relationship with one another.

Looks like it's AK at the top with a mixture of current Bulls/Windy City guys/Billy guys and Eversley people. Seems like they weren't allowed to poach from Denver but I truly don't understand what your expectation was. This is how all pro sports front offices/staffs are put together. If you can't see how this is different than Pete Myers and Randy Brown being longtime Bulls loyalists who never left you're missing something.

If you think Billy Donovan literally hiring his son isn't a deeper level of nepotism than the Bulls giving Randy Brown or Pete Meyers a job I'm not sure what to tell you.

I don't have any expectations for assistant coach hires, and I'm not upset about the guys we got or anything. I'm not lionizing them or acting like we did something better than we did. As an example, Jim Boylen, whom was lead assistant for the Spurs, was probably a more respected assistant than anyone we hired in this group.

Again, its fine, its just nothing to get excited about. Fleming might be the most well respected guy on the assistant staff though (he was the only one to my knowledge to even interview for a HC job), and he was a holdover.

The greatest coach of our age has his son on the coaching staff. Kyle Shanahan was hired by his father and is now one of the best coaches in the NFL.



Mo Cheeks was a halfway decent head coach and a hall of fame player.

The FO and HC hired from people that they know and are comfortable with, this is so normal.

Randy Brown, Pete Meyers, Jim Paxson and the infatuation with Iowa State (Floyd, Fizer, Hoiberg) basketball was a level or two beyond what is currently going on in this org.

Billy Donovan also has a greater resume than any of the previous players in the previous regime which should give him leeway. Familiarity isn't a bad thing.

[dougthonus]

The greatest coach of our age has his son on the coaching staff. Kyle Shanahan was hired by his father and is now one of the best coaches in the NFL.

Bill Belichick can't be a great coach and practice nepotism? People whom practice nepotism are bad at their jobs? They're often amazing at their jobs which is why they can get away with the practice. No one thinks "wow this guy is lousy, lets hire his son", it is the best people whom typically do this kind of thing.

Mo Cheeks was a halfway decent head coach and a hall of fame player.

I like Cheeks, definitely my favorite hire of the group.

The FO and HC hired from people that they know and are comfortable with, this is so normal.

Absolutely, as did the last FO which was my point.

Randy Brown, Pete Meyers, Jim Paxson and the infatuation with Iowa State (Floyd, Fizer, Hoiberg) basketball was a level or two beyond what is currently going on in this org.

Again, hiring your son to a job is a bigger show of nepotism than these things. Most people would generally think its a good thing to employ former players like Brown/Myers and give them opportunities. Most players would view that as a positive within an organization as well.

The fact that the Bulls organization had gotten stale and needed fresh eyes was clear, and I'm glad they've done that. I agree it was a good time to move on from those guys (at least Brown/Myers as I believe Jim is still with the org).

Billy Donovan also has a greater resume than any of the previous players in the previous regime which should give him leeway. Familiarity isn't a bad thing.

Never said it was a bad thing. I initially responded to a post discussing how great this was. It's fine. There's nothing wrong with it. I hope these guys gel and do well together. There's just nothing exciting about this group of assistants we have right now either outside of perhaps Mo Cheeks.

[MrFortune3]

Incestuous in it's nature yes, but the issue with the previous FO was that they wanted yes men, hangers on and low talent hacks.

From what we've seen in the previous stops of this FO and coaching staff, they value talent and ability even with the potential neopotism.

To be quite honest, this seems like you looking at two situations that are the same and just coming up with different narratives in your head to explain them.

I don't mind people pulling from those they know. That's what everyone does, you build relationships over time and try to advance those you worked with that you think were of high quality.

Not at all. I’m looking at the situations and coming to the conclusion that most of the Bulls cast offs likely will not find work elsewhere. If Donovan didn’t coach another game after this season, most of his staff likely fives new homes and quickly.

[PhilLeotardo]

The staff indeed looks much better now. They now have a richer, diverse background when it comes to basketball and having a support system. College, international, the NBA, etc. I hope it pays off in the team getting better and fun to watch again.

What AKEVSBD did was incredibly admirable. I like that they didn’t line the bench with any old fart “names”, besides Cheeks, who is fine, but what’s really impressive is that they seemed to opt for ambitious “youngsters”, and guys who have risen quickly through various winning organizations. John Bryant, for example, has only been a part of the NBA since 2016, and he started as some developmental assistant, and is now a legitimate assistant coach on BDs bench. That’s a pretty rapid rise

Josh Longd0ng is relatively new to the NBA as well, and in a few short years, has achieved considerable success with ATLs g-league team, and been a part of sustained success in MIL

It’s very refreshing to see that they went the “youth movement” route with the coaching & developmental staff. Toronto, Boston, Miami, and other successful franchises have made this their MO, and it’s paid off in dividends & set them up for success for years to come. Basketball is constantly evolving, and AKEVS seem dedicated to staying ahead of the curve

I love the fact that BD was able to retain several of his assistants in OKC. I followed that team closely last year due to an interest in SGA, and that was one of the most exciting & inventive coaching jobs I’ve seen in quite a while. They had those young guys ready to ball their hearts out every single night. It was downright exciting, freewheeling basketball, and they, against all odds, in a lethal conference/division, wound up achieving the unthinkable. It was easily that staff’s best year, BD improved exponentially as a coach last season, and I expect him to continue improving. It’s elating to have the guys responsible for OKCs success last year in control the Bulls now

You also have to think that Evs nabbed the good eggs from Phillys programme, which was a good coaching staff until it wasn’t. There were quite a few seemingly nice pieces of young coaching & dev talent in there, ie: Rothschild, Udoka, Bryant

Another thing to note, is the emphatic move toward staff members with broad international experience

All in all, it still hasn’t sunk in yet amongst fans, that the Bulls went from having one of the single worst head coaches in contemporary NBA history, as well as one of the most worthless, unlikable douchebags that has ever been employed in the NBA, to having the guy who was voted COTY by his peers, and is respected/beloved by seemingly everyone that knows him. Keep in mind: Rick Carlisle, who isn’t the most likable guy himself, was emphatically advising his peers to NOT go & work for those pieces of sh* t in Chicago. “Don’t give them the time of day”. In fact, I’d be willing to bet, that they went with Boylin because no real coaches would give them the time of day. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit. It might’ve even contributed the purging of the worst FO in the league (“we can’t even hire real coaches because of you two idiots! You’ve officially scared everyone away”). So the fact that Donovan came willingly is a gargantuan testament to the change that’s taken place over the past 6 months

Although, you could’ve put a rusty lamppost in the HCs seat, and it would’ve done a better job than that skid mark, egg headed loser lol

[PhilLeotardo]

I would not say Cheeks was the best nor most interesting hire of the group. Quite the contrary, in fact. The young guns with bright futures were the best hires. Cheeks is there for veteran stability, but he’s getting up there in age, and his years on an NBA bench are probably numbered. It’s a nice stroke of sentimentality to have him on the Bulls bench, but it’s not like he’s achieved some crazy enormous success in the NBA. He’s most noted amongst OKC fans for helping their frontcourt stay out of foul trouble

The younger guys, who seem to have aspirations of coaching themselves one day & have risen through the NBA ranks in a relatively short period of time, guys like Longmember/Bryant/Cotter, were the best hires imo. Those are the types you want developing a young team & implementing a progressive system

[Dez]

You're praising them like they've won a championship already, pump the brakes.

The change is good but none of us know what we have in a coaching staff yet because they've literally done nothing as of yet.

"Hasn't sunk in yet amongst fans"? Every Bulls knows we've undergone a dramatic FO change, every Bulls fan also knows that right now they are all unproven in Chicago and there's no reason to be fellating them yet like you currently are.

[sco]

I'm just happy we have a coaching staff who knows how to coach in the NBA. It has been such a disadvantage for us. Even Thibs, who I loved, seemed to lack the full head coaching toolbox.

[League Circles]

I know no one means anything by it and we all use plenty of liberty with language on this forum to be descriptive and funny, but let's leave these situations as "nepotism" instead of "incestuous", mmm kay? Lol

[khufure]

oh **** the Bulls HC hired his son to work "in the video department". better have pages of outrage, nepotism, and cronyism whining. cause you guys have a deep understanding of what being in the video dpt for a professional sports org means, what proper qualifications anyone has that does this, and what BD2's son resume and the competition resume look like.

[MrFortune3]

oh **** the Bulls HC hired his son to work "in the video department". better have pages of outrage, nepotism, and cronyism whining. cause you guys have a deep understanding of what being in the video dpt for a professional sports org means, what proper qualifications anyone has that does this, and what BD2's son resume and the competition resume look like.

Spoelstra started in the video department. Not worried about the Nepotism.

[Evil_Headband]

For what it's worth, Roy Rogers hired by the Clippers.

[SalmonsSuperfan]

oh **** the Bulls HC hired his son to work "in the video department". better have pages of outrage, nepotism, and cronyism whining. cause you guys have a deep understanding of what being in the video dpt for a professional sports org means, what proper qualifications anyone has that does this, and what BD2's son resume and the competition resume look like.

why didn't another team hire him the last five years he's been coaching high school basketball...after his dad let him walk on at florida?

it literally is nepotism. i bet some amount of him even coming to the bulls was "sure, you can hire your son, whatever." i mean, who cares really. we don't know what kind of impact any of these people we're gushing about, or the former assistant coaches we're hating on, actually have on winning basketball games.